Published 10:59 am, Wednesday, March 12, 2014

An Humble man has been arrested in connection with a tragic accident that left a 22-year-old woman dead Christmas Eve.

The accident happened at approximately 3:24 a.m in the 7200 block of FM 1960 and Foxbrick which is located in between Cypresswood and Foxwood Roads.

Ronald Lee Rhea, 66, of Humble; was charged with failure to stop and render aid and driving without a license.

According to investigators, a vehicle hit the woman as she was crossing the road and dragged her about 25 feet before fleeing the scene.

The woman’s body was found still lying in the roadway a few feet from her home with abrasions and broken bones. At the scene, investigators recovered parts of the vehicle belonging to a red Chevy Impala.

After receiving a Crime Stopper’s tip, deputies began investigating Rhea, who drove a red Impala. Rhea’s vehicle also had a broken windshield and suffered damage consistent with the accident, according to court documents.

Deputies also discovered Rhea has written a letter to his boss confessing to being part of a major accident and that he may have to serve jail time, court documents state.

According to Rhea’s attorney, Rhea had been drinking at a bar with a friend prior to the accident. After the two finished drinking, they went to withdraw money and buy fast food. The two made a trip to a second bar, but decided to not go in, court documents state. On the way home, Rhea said he struck something, but didn’t stop immediately because he had no driver’s license, documents state.

He then pulled into a gas station and waited until police arrived at the scene before fleeing, documents state.

Since his arrest, Rhea was released on a $20,000 bond out of the 209th District Court.

“Our accident investigators never let up on this case, and with the evidence gathered were able to file the criminal charges,” said Asst. Chief Mark Herman.